​R. Kelly has bid to delay sex trafficking sentencing rejected

R. Kelly has had a bid to delay his sentencing for sex trafficking and and racketeering convictions rejected, and the sentencing is set to go ahead this June.

On April 5, a court in Brooklyn dropped the singer’s bid to postpone the sentencing by months, after Kelly asked that it could be delay until an upcoming Chicago trial on separate changes for child pornography and obstructed justice had commenced.

R. Kelly was found guilty in September of multiple cases of sex trafficking, racketeering, bribery, and sexual assault. Over the course of a six week trial, the court heard testimonies from 11 accusers.

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He was jailed ahead of formal sentencing, which was originally scheduled for May 4, but will now take place on June 16.

In February, the singer asked for a retrial after claiming that he was denied Sixth Amendment rights, which was rejected.

He later put in a bid to delay his sentence until an upcoming case is complete. Kelly’s lawyers argued that the forthcoming trial for child pornography and obstructed justice set to take place in Chicago on separate charges could “be used against him” when proceedings start on August 1.

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Prosecutors said on the bid that they “strenuously oppose” any delay, adding that the singer’s victims have “waited years” for justice.

“His victims have waited years to see the defendant held to account and sentenced for his crimes. Moreover… many victims have cleared their schedules to travel from other states to New York to attend and be heard at the May 4, 2022 sentencing hearing,” they said in a statement.

District Judge Ann M. Donnelly denied the bid on Tuesday, April 5. While she did push back the sentencing by six weeks, the months-long delay requested by Kelly was rejected.

[Via: NME]

Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Editorial Assistant, follow her on Twitter